Low chemical eating is in high demand

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008

Retail giant Coles have recently announced their decision to increase the nutritional content of its house brand foods, demonstrating that consumers are demanding less chemicals in their food.

The brand 'Quality Brand Standards' will target areas like salt, fat and artificial colours and flavours. "We will minimise the use of added salt by 25 percent over five years and aim to be lower than the leading market brand equivalent," said Jackie Healing, Quality Manager. Committing also to using only natural additives where possible, Jackie adds "we will not permit the use of added flavour enhancers such as MSG and glutamates" (either).

As the first major Australian retailer to introduce home brand organic food in 2004, the "You'll love Coles Organic" range now displays the Australian Certified Organic (ACO) 'organic bud' logo. This campaign is in direct response to shoppers needs for available 'ready-to-go' organic processed food with less additives and preservatives than most conventional options.

Children's food is one of the major drivers in the growing demand for healthier options. Sue Dengate, founder of the Food Intolerance Network states that "the organic standard eliminates 50 additives which have been associated with children's behavioural problems originating from foods. Theoretically, if organic standards were adopted as mandatory tomorrow, all the current troubles we're experiencing from preservatives and additives would vanish." She says it is essential there is more commitment to getting rid of foods with 'added nasties' by retailers in Australia.

At a time when unfortunately, not everybody can afford to adopt a completely organic diet, there clearly needs to be other choices available for Australian families. With food allergies on the rise, it makes the job of grocery shopping for parents even more complicated.

Standards for what is deemed "safe" varies within countries. One example is Smarties, where certain colours that are available here, may not be elsewhere. "There are in particular six artificial food colours which have been banned in the UK after being connected to hyperactivity in children, which are still commonly found on shelves where children's food is found in Australia – but are banned in organics." (colours are: sunset yellow (E110), tartrazine (E102), carmoisine (E122), ponceau 4R (E124), quinoline yellow (E104), and allura red (E129)).

In the UK Smarties no longer contain any artificial colours either – they were removed amid consumer concern after the Liverpool University identified a possible harmful cocktail effect on the nervous system from artificial colours and chemicals. Years later, Smarties found on Australian shelves still contain five out of the six artificial colours banned in the UK.

All Healtheries Kidscare products, including the Abundant Earth organic range of products are free from the above colourings and offer nutritional value for your shopping dollar. Keep an eye out for our logos and try some of our delicious new products such as Kidscare Crunchie Munchies and Potato Stix.

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